Fuel-supply indicator for automobiles



FUEL SUPPLY INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Apr. 11, 1916 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 13, 1923.

w. JAY

FUEL SUPPLY INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILJJS Filed Apr. 11, i916 HHHHHI 2 sheets-sheet 2 Illlll Patented Fe... 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES \UEIBIB JAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUEL-SUPPLY INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed April 11,1916. Serial No. 90,327.

l pletion of the fuel supply.

In fuel feeding apparatus of the character to which my present invention relates, an auxiliary fuel tank is provided .at a level above that of the carburetor into which the fuel is intermittently drawn from the main fuel tank to replace fuel supplied from the auxiliary tank through the carburetor to the engine. A partial vacuum is formed in the auxiliary tank usually by intermittently connecting the same with the manifold of the engine, such intermittent connectionbeing controlled by the fuel level in the auxiliary tank. It is desirable that the operative condition of the feeding mechanism should be visible to the driver. of the automobile in order that he may know whether the fuel is being properly delivered to the auxiliary tank, and may also be advised to the quantity of fuel which is being con- 36 sumed.

The primary object of my invention is to 'provide fuel feeding apparatus of the character referred to in which the driver while in his seat may observe the operation 40 of the fuel feeding apparatus so that he may know whether or not the proper amount of fuel is beingsupplied to the auxiliary .tank and delivered from it to the eI igine.

A further object of my invention 1s to provide means for registering the operation of the fuel feeding apparatus in order that the amount of fuel which is being consumed by the engine may be disclosed to the driver.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved fuel feeding apparatus for automobile engines which will be convenient in use and efficient in operation.

My invention will be more fully disclosed hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustratedas embodied in a. convenient and practical form. and, in.which, I i

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a fuel feeding apparatus embodying my invention, the

automobile being indicated, in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing in vertical section the auxiliary fuel tank and enclosed parts;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 4, through the indicating mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a central sectional-view on line 44 of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the auxiliary tank and indicating and registering mechanism connected therewith;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modified form of indicating and registering device;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View of the operating mechanism of the device shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Reference letter A indicates an automobile of any suitable construction, the same. being shown in dotted lines. The engine cylinders are also indicated in dotted lines at B, as is also the carburetor C, which may be of any suitable construction for supplying the explosive mixture to the intake of the engine cylinders.

D indicates a storage tank for containing a supply of gasolene orother liquid fuel, which is located at a level below that of the carburetor, as is the case with most modern automobiles. F designates an auxiliary fuel tank which is suitably supported at a level above the carburetor and preferably within the hood of the automobile adjacent the dashboard. A conduit'Eextends from the main, fuel tank D to the interior of a float-chamber F ,supported within the auxilia tank F. G. designates a conduit communlcating with the float-chamber and leading to the engine manifold. H designates a M, to limit its movement.

conduit leading from the bottom of the auxiliary tank F to the carburetor C. F indicates a float located within the chamber F and operatively connected to a suitable valve. mechanism for intermittently controlling the communication between the float-chamber and the conduit G, and coi'ncidently conatmospheric connection, and to open. the

valve 6 controlling the communication wit-h the manifold. The suction of the engine then produces a partial vacuum in the floatchamber, so that fuel is delivered thereinto from the main fuel tank D until the float has been lifted a predetermined distance, when the valve mechanism is operated to close the valve 0 and open the air inlet valve 6 The mechanism above described does not in itself constitute my present invention, as the same is covered by patents heretofore granted to me. It is, however, herein illus trated and briefly described in order that my present improvement may be fully disclosed.

K designates a conduit leading from the interior of the float-chamber F to a gauge for indicating the pressure within the floatchamber, such gauge is shown as comprising a Bourdon tube 71: located within a suitable casing L and connected at one end through the coupling K with the adjacent end of the conduit K leading into the auxiliary tank. The opposite end of the tube is pivotally connected by a link 70 with a crank-arm Z0 fixed to a rock-shaft K one end of which projects in front of the casing L and has fixed to it a pointer M. Adjacent the end of the pointer M is located a dial having thereon suitable graduations m.

Carried by the rock-shaft K is a contact at which is movable relatively to a fixed con tact N, which is electrically connected with the winding of a solenoid N and with a source of electricity, such as a storage battery N n indicates the plunger of the solenoid which is flexibly connected by a. link a with a crank-arm n fixed upon a shaft n supported within the casing L. Adjacent the crank-arm n are pins 0 and 0 located on opposite sides of the crank-arm The shaft n is connected to any suitable 'regstering discs 0, so arranged and connected-that they will be operated each time the plunger is reciprocated by the solenoid.

The embodiment of my invention above described operates as follows? When the float-chamber is connected with the engine manifold the partial vacuum produced in the float-chamber will, through the connecting conduit K, cause the tube is to contract, thereby moving the pointer Mrelatively to the adjacent dial. The contraction of the tube is also moves the contact n into engagement with the contact N, thereby closing the circuit to the solenoid N and. causingthe plunger n to be reciprocated. The reciprocation of the plunger oscillates the shaft a through the medium of the crank-arm a The registering mechanism is thereby actuated so as to add one unit to the previous record, in a Well-known manner. Immediately upon the closing of the valve 6 and the opening of the air inlet valve 6 the partial vacuum is destroyed, so that the tube is expands and returns the pointer M to its normal position relativelyto the dial. In this manner each operation of the mechanism in the float-chamber is indicated, and also registered. The indicator by its movement relatively to the dial discloses to the driver the degree of vacuum produced in the float-chamber, and consequently discloses to him whether or not the fuel is being drawn in proper quantity from the main fuel tank into the auxiliary tank. Should there be a obstruction in the fuel conduit leading to the float-chamber, a

greater degree of vacuum will be indicated.

through the position of the pointer of the vacuum gauge, the fact that a new supply of fuel must be obtained before the limited supply in the auxiliary tank is exhausted.

Inasmuch as the capacity of the floatchamber is known, and the amount of fuel which is discharged therefrom between the successive operations of the valve mechanism by the float, the pointer M? indicates to the driver the amount of fuel which is being consumed. The register enables the driver to know the amount of fuel which has been consumed in a given time, or in running a given distance.

In Figs. 6,-7, and 8,1 have illustrated a modified mechanism for actuating the register through mechanical connection with the vacuum gauge, in lieu. of the electrical op-.

erating means shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Reference character M indicates a sleeve mounted upon the shaftK Fixed to one end of the sleeve M is a pointer M which overlies a dial m in the front casing L. The opposite end of the sleeve M has fixed thereto a ratchet wheel P, the teeth of which are successively engaged by a pawl 1 pivoted to a crank-arm 79 fixed to the shaft K The end of the pawl P is recessed, as shown in Fig. 8, such recess cooperating with a fixed pin 79 to permit the engagement of the pawl with the ratchet wheel only during a limited movement of the pawl with the crank-arm p. Q designates a spring-pressed pawl for retaining the ratchet wheel in the positions into wh1ch it is moved step by step by the actuating pawl P The form of my invention shown in Figs. 6,7, and 8, ,operates as follows: The shaft K is oscillated each time the tube 70 contracts, and the oscillation of the shaft causes the awl P to be moved relatively to the ratc et wheel P. The pin p effects the lifting of the awl during the movement of the shaft Ktowards the right in Fig. 8, that is during the contraction of the tube Z2. When the valve mechanism in the auxiliary tank is actuated to disconnect communication with the exhaust and tore en communication with the atmosphere, t e tube hexpands which oscillates the shaft K in a reverse direction, and with it moves the pawl P towards the left, as shown in Fig. 8. Whenthe pawl P has moved to such a POSl: tion that the recess in the end thereof reg isters with the pin pflthe pawl engages a tooth on the ratchet wheel P and moves the ratchet wheel a distance of one tooth during the final oscillation of the shaft K. The movement of the ratchet wheel. P -is communicated through v the sleeve M to the pointer M so that the latter is moved relatively to the dial m a distance to indicate one operation of the valve mechanism in the auxiliary reservoir. The amount of fuel delivered to the engine is consequently registered, inasmuch as the volume, which is supplied thereto at each operation of the valve mechanism is known. The quantity of fuel consumed by the automobile during a given time, or in driving a given distance, is co1isequently registered. K

From the foregoing description it will be observed that by my invention the driver of an automobile is enabled to observe the op- .eration of the fuel feeding apparatus and to thereby know whether a proper quantity of fuel is bemg consumed, and also the opera- .tive condition of the apparatus, and is advised when the main fuel tank is empty;- It

will furthermore be seen that by my'invention a record is kept of the amount of fuel consumed by the engine.

What I claim is: I

1. In a fuel feeding apparatus for engines, the combination with a receptacle having a fuel delivery outlet therefrom and communicating with the atmosphere, of conduits connecting said receptacle with aliquid fuel supply and with an air exhausting means,.'automatic means actuated by the amount of fuel in said receptacle controlling the connection between said receptacle and the exhausting means, and anindicator connected with said receptacle and operated by the pressure therein to disclose the operation of said automatic means.

2. In a fuel feeding apparatus for engines,

the combination with a receptacle-ha ving a fuel delivery outlet therefrom, of conduits connecting said receptacle with aliquid fuel supply and with an air exhausting means,

means for intermittently controlling the cona predetermined amount of fuel from said receptacle, and means actuated by the pressure in said receptacle for indicating each operation of said utomatic means.

4. In a fuel fee ing apparatus for engines,

the combination with a fuel-containing receptacle having a delivery opening therefrom, of intermittentlyoperating automatic means for supplying predetermined quantities of fuel to said receptacle, and mechani: cal means automatically operated imultaneously with the operation of said automatic means for indicating each operation of said means.

5. In a fuel feeding apparatus for engines, the combination with a fuel-containing receptacle havin a delivery outlet therefrom,

of intermittent operating automatic means for exhausting air from said receptacle, a fuel tank connected with said receptacle, and an indicator automaticall operated simultaneously with the operation of said means to disclose the successive operations of said automatic means.

6. In a fuel feeding apparatus for en- 7 gines, the combination with a fuel-containing receptacle having a delivery outlet there from, of intermittently operating automatic means for exhausting air from said receptacle, a fuel tank connected with said receptacle, and a pressure gauge communicating with said receptacle to indicate the successive operations of said automaticmeans.

7. In a fuel feeding apparatus for engines, the combination with avfuel-containin receptacle having a delivery outlet there om, of a fuel tank, "a conduit leading from said fuel tank to said receptacle, an exhausting mechanism, intermittently operating automatic means for; connectingsaid exhausting mechanismwith said receptacle, and means for registering the successive operations of said means. 7

1 8. The combination with a liquid fuel sup- 126, ply system, including an auxiliary supply receptacle, and suction means for automatically periodically refilling said receptacle, of a register and means connected with said receptacle responsive to the change of pressure therein for actuating the register to indicate the quantity of liquid supplied.

9. The combination with a liquid fuel supply system, including an auxiliary supply 5 tank, and suction means for periodically automatically refilling said tank, of a suction operated motor actuated upon each refilling of the tank, and a register operated by said motor for indicating the quantity of liquid used.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

WEBB JAY. 

